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News Release Information

19-2178-CHI
Thursday, February 06, 2020

Contacts Technical information: Media contact:
  • (312) 353-1138

Fatal Work Injuries in Illinois — 2018

Fatal work injuries totaled 184 in 2018 for Illinois, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Assistant Commissioner for Regional Operations Charlene Peiffer noted that the number of work-related fatalities in Illinois increased by 21 from the previous year. Fatal occupational injuries in the state have ranged from a high of 262 in 1996 to a low of 146 in 2012. (See chart 1.)

Nationwide, a total of 5,250 fatal work injuries were recorded in 2018, up from the 5,147 fatal injuries in 2017, according to the results from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program.

Type of incident

In Illinois, transportation incidents resulted in 75 fatal work injuries, and contact with objects and equipment accounted for 34 fatalities. These two major categories accounted for 59 percent of all workplace fatalities in the state. (See table 1.) Worker deaths from transportation incidents were up from 61 over the year, and worker fatalities due to contact with objects and equipment were up from 23.

Violence and other injuries by persons or animals was the third-most frequent fatal work event with 26 fatalities, up from 20 in the prior year. Falls, slips, or trips resulted in 25 work-related deaths compared to 27 in 2017.

Nationally, transportation incidents were the most frequent fatal workplace event in 2018, accounting for 40 percent of fatal work injuries. (See chart 2.) Violence and other injuries by persons or animals was the second-most common fatal event (16 percent), followed by falls, slips, and trips (15 percent) and contact with objects and equipment (15 percent).

Industry

The private transportation and warehousing industry had the highest number of fatalities in Illinois, with 38, down from 42 in the previous year. (See table 2.) Transportation incidents resulted in 25 of the 38 fatalities in the industry. The truck transportation sector accounted for 33 of the 38 workplace fatalities in the transportation and warehousing industry.

Two private industry sectors, agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting and construction each had 25 workplace fatalities. Agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting fatalities were up from 15 in the previous year, while fatalities within the construction industry were down from 26. Within agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting the crop production sector accounted for 22, or 88 percent, of the fatal injuries in this industry. The specialty trade contractors sector accounted for 14 of the 25, or 56 percent, of the fatalities in the construction industry.

Occupation

The transportation and material moving occupational group had the highest number of workplace fatalities with 61. (See table 3.) Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers accounted for 39 of the 61 fatalities among transportation and material moving workers. The construction and extraction occupational group had the second-highest number of workplace fatalities with 27, followed by management occupations with 21. Construction trades workers suffered 24 of the work-related deaths within the construction and extraction group. Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers accounted for 17 of the 21 management occupational fatalities.

Additional highlights
  • Men accounted for 92 percent of the work-related fatalities in Illinois, similar to the national share. (See table 4.) Transportation incidents made up 41 percent of the fatalities for men in Illinois.

  • White non-Hispanics accounted for 68 percent of those who died from a workplace injury. Nationwide, this group accounted for 65 percent of work-related deaths.

  • Workers 25-54 years old accounted for 55 percent of the state’s work-related fatalities in 2018, compared to 58 percent of on-the-job fatalities nationally.

  • Of the 184 fatal work injuries in Illinois, 76 percent worked for wages and salaries; the remainder were self-employed. The most frequent fatal event for both wage and salary workers and self-employed workers was transportation incidents.


Technical Note

Background of the program. The Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), part of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Safety and Health Statistics (OSHS) program, is a count of all fatal work injuries occurring in the U.S. during the calendar year. The CFOI uses a variety of state, federal, and independent data sources to identify, verify, and describe fatal work injuries. This ensures counts are as complete and accurate as possible. For the 2018 national data, over 24,800 unique source documents were reviewed as part of the data collection process. For technical information and definitions for the CFOI, see the BLS Handbook of Methods on the BLS website at www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cfoi/home.htm.

Federal/State agency coverage. The CFOI includes data for all fatal work injuries, some of which may be outside the scope of other agencies or regulatory coverage. Comparisons between CFOI counts and those released by other agencies should account for the different coverage requirements and definitions used by each agency. For more information on the scope of CFOI, see www.bls.gov/iif/cfoiscope.htm and www.bls.gov/opub/hom/cfoi/concepts.htm.

Acknowledgments. BLS thanks the Illinois Department of Public Health for their efforts in collecting accurate, comprehensive, and useful data on fatal work injuries. BLS also appreciates the efforts of all federal, state, local, and private sector entities that provided source documents used to identify fatal work injuries. Among these agencies are the Occupational Safety and Health Administration; the National Transportation Safety Board; the U.S. Coast Guard; the Mine Safety and Health Administration; the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs (Federal Employees' Compensation and Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation divisions); the Federal Railroad Administration; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; state vital statistics registrars, coroners, and medical examiners; state departments of health, labor, and industrial relations and workers' compensation agencies; state and local police departments; and state farm bureaus.

Information in this release will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: (800) 877-8339.

Table 1. Fatal occupational injuries by event or exposure, Illinois, 2017–18
Event or exposure (1)20172018
NumberNumberPercent

Total

163184100

Violence and other injuries by persons or animals

202614

Intentional injury by person

172313

Intentional injury by other person

13148

Shooting by other person--intentional

7105

Stabbing, cutting, slashing, piercing

311

Hitting, kicking, beating, shoving

121

Strangulation by other person

111

Self-inflicted injury--intentional

495

Shooting--intentional self-harm

353

Injury by person--unintentional or intent unknown

132

Injury by other person--unintentional or intent unknown

132

Shooting by other person--unintentional

--32

Transportation incidents

617541

Rail vehicle incidents

642

Pedestrian struck by rail vehicle--transportation incident

--32

Pedestrian vehicular incident

11127

Pedestrian struck by vehicle in roadway

--32

Pedestrian struck by forward-moving vehicle in roadway

--32

Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area

442

Pedestrian struck by forward-moving vehicle in nonroadway area

321

Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle

314726

Roadway collision with other vehicle

202614

Roadway collision--moving in same direction

1063

Roadway collision--moving in opposite directions, oncoming

595

Roadway collision--moving perpendicularly

--63

Roadway collision--moving and standing vehicle in roadway

--32

Roadway collision with object other than vehicle

895

Vehicle struck object or animal on side of roadway

795

Roadway noncollision incident

3127

Jack-knifed or overturned, roadway

374

Nonroadway incident involving motorized land vehicles

12127

Nonroadway collision with other vehicle

121

Nonroadway noncollision incident

1084

Jack-knifed or overturned, nonroadway

874

Fires and explosions

732

Fires

------

Small-scale (limited) fire

--11

Explosions

611

Explosion of pressure vessel, piping, or tire

211

Falls, slips, trips

272514

Falls on same level

753

Fall while sitting

--11

Falls to lower level

20179

Other fall to lower level

18137

Other fall to lower level 21 to 25 feet

--32

Jumps to lower level

--11

Other jump to lower level

--11

Exposure to harmful substances or environments

222011

Exposure to electricity

474

Direct exposure to electricity

--32

Direct exposure to electricity, greater than 220 volts

111

Indirect exposure to electricity

--32

Indirect exposure to electricity, 220 volts or less

--11

Exposure to other harmful substances

17116

Nonmedical use of drugs or alcohol--unintentional overdose

15105

Exposure to oxygen deficiency, n.e.c.

--11

Depletion of oxygen

--11

Contact with objects and equipment

233418

Struck by object or equipment

193016

Struck by powered vehicle--nontransport

8169

Caught between rolling powered vehicle and other object

163

Struck or run over by rolling powered vehicle

242

Struck by other falling powered vehicle

--42

Struck by falling object or equipment--other than powered vehicle

6105

Struck by object falling from vehicle or machinery--other than vehicle part

432

Struck by swinging or slipping object, other than handheld

--11

Struck, caught, or crushed in collapsing structure, equipment, or material

--21

Engulfment in other collapsing material

--21

Overexertion and bodily reaction

------

Footnotes:
(1) Based on the BLS Occupational Injury and Illness Classification System (OIICS) 2.01 implemented for 2011 data forward.

NOTE: Data for all years are final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.

Table 2. Fatal occupational injuries by industry, Illinois, 2017–18
Industry (1)20172018
NumberNumberPercent

Total

163184100

Private industry

14816389

Goods producing

555932

Natural resources and mining

172614

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

152514

Crop production

102212

Oilseed and grain farming

395

Soybean farming

121

Corn farming

--42

Animal production and aquaculture

3----

Hog and pig farming

--11

Hog and pig farming

--11

Support activities for agriculture and forestry

--11

Support activities for crop production

--11

Support activities for crop production

--11

Farm management services

--11

Mining (2)

211

Oil and gas extraction

--11

Oil and gas extraction

--11

Oil and gas extraction

--11

Crude petroleum and natural gas extraction

--11

Construction

262514

Construction

262514

Construction of buildings

342

Residential building construction

342

Residential building construction

342

Heavy and civil engineering construction

253

Specialty trade contractors

21148

Foundation, structure, and building exterior contractors

1174

Structural steel and precast concrete contractors

121

Roofing contractors

532

Building finishing contractors

--32

Other specialty trade contractors

--21

Site preparation contractors

--11

All other specialty trade contractors

--11

Manufacturing

1284

Manufacturing

1284

Nonmetallic mineral product manufacturing

111

Cement and concrete product manufacturing

111

Ready-mix concrete manufacturing

--11

Fabricated metal product manufacturing

642

Architectural and structural metals manufacturing

311

Plate work and fabricated structural product manufacturing

111

Fabricated structural metal manufacturing

111

Coating, engraving, heat treating, and allied activities

--11

Coating, engraving, heat treating, and allied activities

--11

Metal heat treating

--11

Transportation equipment manufacturing

--11

Railroad rolling stock manufacturing

--11

Railroad rolling stock manufacturing

--11

Service providing

9310457

Trade, transportation, and utilities

585630

Wholesale trade

1074

Merchant wholesalers, durable goods

642

Hardware, and plumbing and heating equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers

--11

Refrigeration equipment and supplies merchant wholesalers

--11

Merchant wholesalers, nondurable goods

432

Grocery and related product wholesalers

--11

General line grocery merchant wholesalers

--11

Farm product raw material merchant wholesalers

111

Grain and field bean merchant wholesalers

111

Retail trade

4116

Furniture and home furnishings stores

--11

Home furnishings stores

--11

Other home furnishings stores

--11

Electronics and appliance stores

--11

Electronics and appliance stores

--11

Electronics and appliance stores

--11

Electronics stores

--11

Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers

221

Building material and supplies dealers

211

Lawn and garden equipment and supplies stores

--11

Nursery, garden center, and farm supply stores

--11

Miscellaneous store retailers

--11

Florists

--11

Florists

--11

Nonstore retailers

--11

Direct selling establishments

--11

Transportation and warehousing

423821

Rail transportation

--11

Rail transportation

--11

Rail transportation

--11

Line-haul railroads

--11

Truck transportation

263318

General freight trucking

18169

General freight trucking, local

853

General freight trucking, long-distance

8116

Specialized freight trucking

8179

Specialized freight (except used goods) trucking, local

121

Specialized freight (except used goods) trucking, long-distance

7158

Transit and ground passenger transportation

411

Taxi and limousine service

311

Taxi service

311

Support activities for transportation

432

Support activities for road transportation

421

Motor vehicle towing

311

Information

--21

Information

--21

Motion picture and sound recording industries

--11

Sound recording industries

--11

Sound recording studios

--11

Telecommunications

--11

Other telecommunications

--11

Other telecommunications

--11

Financial activities

353

Finance and insurance

--11

Credit intermediation and related activities

--11

Real estate and rental and leasing

--42

Real estate

--42

Lessors of real estate

--11

Lessors of residential buildings and dwellings

--11

Offices of real estate agents and brokers

--11

Offices of real estate agents and brokers

--11

Activities related to real estate

--21

Real estate property managers

--21

Residential property managers

--21

Professional and business services

13127

Professional and technical services

1----

Professional, scientific, and technical services

1----

Specialized design services

--11

Interior design services

--11

Administrative and waste services

11105

Administrative and support services

884

Investigation and security services

--11

Investigation, guard, and armored car services

--11

Security guards and patrol services

--11

Services to buildings and dwellings

542

Landscaping services

332

Waste management and remediation services

3----

Waste collection

211

Waste collection

211

Solid waste collection

--11

Educational and health services

3116

Health care and social assistance

--116

Ambulatory health care services

--63

Other ambulatory health care services

--32

Ambulance services

--32

Hospitals

--21

General medical and surgical hospitals

--21

General medical and surgical hospitals

--21

Nursing and residential care facilities

--32

Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities)

--21

Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities)

--21

Residential intellectual and developmental disability, mental health, and substance abuse facilities

--11

Residential mental health and substance abuse facilities

--11

Leisure and hospitality

1084

Arts, entertainment, and recreation

621

Performing arts, spectator sports, and related industries

221

Spectator sports

121

Spectator sports

121

Accommodation and food services

463

Accommodation

------

RV (recreational vehicle) parks and recreational camps

--11

RV (recreational vehicle) parks and recreational camps

--11

Recreational and vacation camps (except campgrounds)

--11

Food services and drinking places

442

Drinking places (alcoholic beverages)

--32

Drinking places (alcoholic beverages)

--32

Restaurants and other eating places

311

Restaurants and other eating places

311

Full-service restaurants

--11

Other services, except public administration

6105

Other services, except public administration

6105

Repair and maintenance

363

Automotive repair and maintenance

353

Automotive mechanical and electrical repair and maintenance

--42

General automotive repair

--32

Automotive exhaust system repair

--11

Automotive body, paint, interior, and glass repair

--11

Automotive body, paint, and interior repair and maintenance

--11

Personal and household goods repair and maintenance

--11

Personal and laundry services

132

Death care services

111

Funeral homes and funeral services

111

Drycleaning and laundry services

--21

Drycleaning and laundry services (except coin-operated)

--11

Linen and uniform supply

--11

Industrial launderers

--11

Religious, grantmaking, civic, professional, and similar organizations

--11

Religious organizations

111

Religious organizations

111

Government (3)

152111

Federal government

321

State government

4----

Local government

8179

Footnotes:
(1) Industry data are based on the North American Industry Classification System, 2012.
(2) Includes fatal injuries at all establishments categorized as Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (Sector 21) in the North American Industry Classification System, 2012, including establishments not governed by the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) rules and reporting, such as those in Oil and Gas Extraction.
(3) Includes fatal injuries to workers employed by governmental organizations regardless of industry.

NOTE: Data for all years are final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.

Table 3. Fatal occupational injuries by occupation, Illinois, 2017–18
Occupation (1)20172018
NumberNumberPercent

Total

163184100

Management occupations

142111

Other management occupations

122111

Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers

10179

Farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural managers

10179

Lodging managers

--11

Lodging managers

--11

Property, real estate, and community association managers

--32

Property, real estate, and community association managers

--32

Business and financial operations occupations

------

Computer and mathematical occupations

------

Architecture and engineering occupations

------

Life, physical, and social science occupations

------

Community and social services occupations

232

Counselors, social workers, and other community and social service specialists

121

Social workers

121

Child, family, and school social workers

--11

Mental health and substance abuse social workers

--11

Legal occupations

------

Education, training, and library occupations

--11

Preschool, primary, secondary, and special education school teachers

--11

Elementary and middle school teachers

--11

Middle school teachers, except special and career/technical education

--11

Arts, design, entertainment, sports, and media occupations

363

Art and design workers

--11

Designers

--11

Interior designers

--11

Entertainers and performers, sports and related workers

242

Actors, producers, and directors

--11

Producers and directors

--11

Athletes, coaches, umpires, and related workers

232

Athletes and sports competitors

121

Coaches and scouts

--11

Healthcare practitioners and technical occupations

--84

Health diagnosing and treating practitioners

--53

Pharmacists

--11

Pharmacists

--11

Physicians and surgeons

--11

Healthcare support occupations

------

Protective service occupations

8137

Supervisors of protective service workers

--11

First-line supervisors of law enforcement workers

--11

First-line supervisors of police and detectives

--11

Fire fighting and prevention workers

--11

Firefighters

--11

Firefighters

--11

Law enforcement workers

674

Police officers

574

Police and sheriff's patrol officers

574

Other protective service workers

242

Security guards and gaming surveillance officers

121

Security guards

121

Food preparation and serving related occupations

432

Supervisors of food preparation and serving workers

--21

First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers

--21

Chefs and head cooks

--21

First-line supervisors of food preparation and serving workers

--21

Food and beverage serving workers

--11

Bartenders

--11

Bartenders

--11

Building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations

742

Grounds maintenance workers

--32

Grounds maintenance workers

--32

Personal care and service occupations

311

Funeral service workers

111

Morticians, undertakers, and funeral directors

111

Morticians, undertakers, and funeral directors

111

Sales and related occupations

784

Supervisors of sales workers

453

First-line supervisors of sales workers

453

First-line supervisors of retail sales workers

--42

First-line supervisors of non-retail sales workers

311

Other sales and related workers

--21

Real estate brokers and sales agents

--11

Real estate sales agents

--11

Miscellaneous sales and related workers

--11

Door-to-door sales workers, news and street vendors, and related workers

--11

Office and administrative support occupations

6----

Farming, fishing, and forestry occupations

374

Agricultural workers

--74

Miscellaneous agricultural workers

--74

Farmworkers and laborers, crop, nursery, and greenhouse

--63

Construction and extraction occupations

252715

Supervisors of construction and extraction workers

311

First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

311

First-line supervisors of construction trades and extraction workers

311

Construction trades workers

202413

Carpenters

--42

Carpenters

--42

Construction laborers

695

Construction laborers

695

Roofers

542

Roofers

542

Other construction and related workers

--21

Fence erectors

--11

Fence erectors

--11

Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators

--11

Rail-track laying and maintenance equipment operators

--11

Installation, maintenance, and repair occupations

8127

Electrical and electronic equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers

------

Radio and telecommunications equipment installers and repairers

--11

Telecommunications equipment installers and repairers, except line installers

--11

Vehicle and mobile equipment mechanics, installers, and repairers

484

Automotive technicians and repairers

142

Automotive body and related repairers

--11

Automotive service technicians and mechanics

132

Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

232

Bus and truck mechanics and diesel engine specialists

232

Production occupations

884

Metal workers and plastic workers

--32

Textile, apparel, and furnishings workers

--21

Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

--21

Laundry and dry-cleaning workers

--21

Other production occupations

------

Painting workers

--11

Painting, coating, and decorating workers

--11

Transportation and material moving occupations

596133

Motor vehicle operators

474726

Driver/sales workers and truck drivers

414424

Heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers

343921

Light truck or delivery services drivers

532

Taxi drivers and chauffeurs

421

Taxi drivers and chauffeurs

421

Miscellaneous motor vehicle operators

--11

Rail transportation workers

--11

Railroad conductors and yardmasters

--11

Railroad conductors and yardmasters

--11

Other transportation workers

--21

Parking lot attendants

--11

Parking lot attendants

--11

Material moving workers

9116

Laborers and material movers, hand

695

Laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand

584

Military specific occupations (2)

--11

Footnotes:
(1) Occupation data are based on the Standard Occupational Classification system, 2010.
(2) Includes fatal injuries to persons identified as resident armed forces regardless of individual occupation listed.

NOTE: Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.

Table 4. Fatal occupational injuries by selected demographic characteristics, Illinois, 2017–18
Worker characteristics20172018
NumberNumberPercent

Total

163184100

Employee status

Wage and salary workers (1)

12414076

Self-employed (2)

394424

Gender

Men

14916992

Women

14158

Age (3)

18 to 19 years

421

20 to 24 years

463

25 to 34 years

252614

35 to 44 years

323016

45 to 54 years

284625

55 to 64 years

384625

65 years and over

302815

Race or ethnic origin (4)

White, non-Hispanic

13012668

Black or African-American, non-Hispanic

112815

Hispanic or Latino

172715

Footnotes:
(1) May include volunteers and workers receiving other types of compensation.
(2) Includes self-employed workers, owners of unincorporated businesses and farms, paid and unpaid family workers, and may include some owners of incorporated businesses or members of partnerships.
(3) Information may not be available for all age groups.
(4) Persons identified as Hispanic or Latino may be of any race. The race categories shown exclude data for Hispanics and Latinos.

NOTE: Data for all years are final. Totals for major categories may include subcategories not shown separately. Percentages may not add to totals because of rounding. CFOI fatality counts exclude illness-related deaths unless precipitated by an injury event. Dashes indicate no data reported or data that do not meet publication criteria.

 

Last Modified Date: Thursday, February 06, 2020